


Apple Pie at Midnight

by chasingkerouac



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Holidays, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Steggy Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-02 15:56:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17267051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasingkerouac/pseuds/chasingkerouac
Summary: Peggy thinks New Year's Eve is a terrible night to be out at a bar.  Especially when you're recently single.  Especially when you run into your ex.  Luckily a handsome stranger is willing to help her out, and maybe start her new year off right too.





	Apple Pie at Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> Written lyselkatz for the Steggy Secret Santa 2018. I hope that you enjoy it :D

“I don’t know why I let you drag me out.”

Angie turned and smiled at her friend as the bouncer handed their IDs back and waved them into the bar.  “Because it’s New Year’s Eve, English, and we’re young and should be out enjoying life.”

“Not that young,” Peggy murmured.  It was still early enough in the evening that there were still corners to escape to, even if the bar itself was already mobbed.  

Angie linked her arm in Peggy’s and made a beeline to the last small table by the wall left unattended.  “Look, I get that your break up is still raw, but it’s been a month and you can’t stay a hermit forever.”

“Oh, I quite think that I can do anything I set my mind to.”

“You only dated for a little while -”

“Three years.”

“And he was a jerk -”

“He was just… opinionated.”

“Peggy.”

Peggy sighed and leaned against the table.  Angie was right. Jack had been no good for her.  And honestly, she’s not entirely sure how they’d stayed together for three years.  Working so much, and rarely seeing each other, had pushed them into… complacency? It became more comfortable to stay with the status quo than to break it off and get back into the dating scene.  Because dating, as Angie was very vocal about, was the absolute worst. At least being with Jack meant she didn’t have to date, and knew who and what she was coming home to.

Well, coming home to the blonde in their bed was a surprise.  

“I just don’t know if I’m ready to go to all the trouble of flirting again.  It’s exhausting.”

Angie grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.  “I just don’t like seeing you mope around.”

“I’m English, I don’t mope.”

“On Saturday I found you on my couch singing along to ‘All By Myself’ on repeat while eating the brownies I made for my office party right out of the pan.”

Peggy had to give her that one.  She’d made the mistake of looking at Jack’s Instagram.  She really should unfriend him.

“So, we’re going to go out, be social, and drink a little too much, and maybe find a couple of cute guys to kiss at midnight,” Angie said.  “You never know. You could meet _the one_ tonight.”

“At a crowded bar on New Year’s Eve?” Peggy chuckled.  “I’ll settle for a stiff drink.” Or five.

Angie dramatically spread her arms across the small table.  “I’ll defend our territory. Grab me some of whatever the house white is.”

The crowd was three deep at the bar and Peggy debated the merits of going out to a liquor store and just buying a bottle to sneak back in.  It would be quicker, it would be cheaper, and if Angie wasn’t looking too closely they could walk right past the bar and head back home to ring in the new year without all of these happy, already coupled people blocking her from the bourbon she so desperately needed.  

“I hate bars on New Year’s Eve,” a voice beside her mumbled.

“They are the absolute worst,” she replied as she turned around, the last word catching in her throat as she caught a glimpse of the man who belonged to that voice.  He was blond, tall, and broad. Even with his thick wool coat still on, he looked like a guy who was built to push through the crowd and be met with no resistance. He turned to look at her, and smiled.  Of course he had a beautiful smile that, unlike Jack’s, crinkled his eyes and looked utterly genuine. Like her basic observation was the wittiest thing he’d ever heard.

“We’ll eventually reach the front,” he pointed out.

“Sounds like an awfully big assumption.”

“You think we’re meant to wither and die back here, always reaching for but never getting that drink?”

Peggy couldn’t help but laugh.  “You sound awfully dramatic.”

He shrugged.  “Gotta pass the time somehow.  I’m Steve, by the way.”

“Peggy,” she said.  He really did have a beautiful smile.  “Did your… girlfriend send you up alone to grab drinks.”

Steve smiled that big smile again, but looked away as if embarrassed by the attention.  “I’m here by myself.”

“I find that hard to believe.  Are you meeting someone?”

“Yeah, but she’s late.  As per usual. So I think I’m getting stood up.  Although she’s not going to hear the end of it once we both get home.”

So he had a girlfriend or wife or whatever.  Just not here with him. Of course he did. No one who looked like that was single.  “I’m surprised you’ve stuck around if you’re here alone.”

“I figured I’d get one drink and then hit up this 24-hour diner a couple blocks over.  They have a great apple pie.” Steve shifted forward when the crowd slightly parted. “Hey, Peggy, what do you want?”

“A glass of house white and whatever bourbon they have closest to a glass, neat.”

Steve pressed himself between two women who’d taken up residence at the bar, ordering quickly before anyone could jump ahead of him.  A couple minutes later he was passing glasses back to Peggy and lifting his own glass of bourbon in a salute to her. “Your order sounded too good to pass up.  I think we were victorious.”

“Indeed.”  She couldn’t hide a smile as she took a sip of her bourbon.  So he was taken, so what? Just because Angie was insistent that Mr. Right (or at least Mr. Right Now) was hanging out in this bar waiting for them didn’t mean that she should get upset that this one was unavailable.  She still wasn’t over Jack, anyway. She wasn’t looking for someone. Not at all. “Thank you. Let me pay you back for the drinks.”

Steve waved her off.  “Absolutely not. My mother would never approve of me leaving a lady high and dry.  She raised me better than that. Something good has to come of being stuck in a crowded bar on New Year’s Eve, right?” he chuckled.  “So, are you here with…”

“My friend,” Peggy jumped in quickly.  Why was it important he know that she wasn’t here with anyone?  He was taken. Stop it, Peg. “Angie.” She motioned to a table in the corner where Angie looked like she was having words with a group trying to commandeer the table from her.  “And it looks like we need to defend our space.” She glanced up at Steve. This was a terrible idea. “Do you want to join us? Since you got stood up and all. It’s just the two of us, and I think with you at the table people will be less likely to try and steal it from us when we’re not looking.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you look like you could bench press the table,” Peggy answered under her breath before she realized what she was saying.  Even in the din of the crowd, it was obvious Steve heard because he turned the most delightful shade of pink. Oh goodness, he was a blusher.  “So you don’t have to drink your one drink alone,” she added, placing a hand on his arm and gently pulling him through the crowd. “Before you go out in search of your apple pie.”

“Hey Peg, what took so long?” Angie asked as they approached the table.  “It’s like fighting hyenas in here.”

“The bar was ridiculous.”  Peggy set Angie’s wine in front of her and motioned to Steve.  “Angie, this is Steve. He’s been stood up, and is only here for one drink before escaping.  Which is what we could…”

“Oh no, you promised we could stay out until midnight,” Angie jumped in.  “You promised me you’d be social and I’m going to hold you to it. Hi, Angie Martinelli,” she added, offering her hand to Steve.  “I don’t see why anyone would stand you up.”

Steve laughed, his cheeks still pink even in the dim light of the bar.  “Yeah, I’m really getting my ego stroked tonight. I should tell folks I’m alone more often.”

“You’d never be alone for long,” Angie murmured.  “Just like Peggy here, who is recently single and completely available, and has been alone far too long.”

“Angie!”

“I find that difficult to believe,” Steve said, taking a sip of his own drink.  

“Well she is.  Which is… oh shit…” Angie trailed off.

“What?” Peggy asked.

Before Angie could warn her, Jack appeared at the table, the blonde woman from the bed in tow, and a smug grin on his face.  “Hey Angie. Peggy,” he added. “You’re looking a little less pathetic today. What are the chances of running into you here?”

“At the bar we used to go to?” Peggy asked, already exhausted just being around him again.  “That you said watered down your drinks because the bartenders were incompetent?”

“Take a hike, Jack,” Angie sneered.  “Don’t you and whatsherface have anywhere better to be?”

“You don’t have to sic your attack dog on me,” Jack said, rolling his eyes.  “Heel, girl. Who’s your friend?”

This was a terrible idea.  An awful idea. One that really should be run by the poor, unsuspecting bloke you met just 20 minutes earlier before dragging him into the personal mess of a complete stranger.  “Oh, Jack, sorry. This is Steve,” Peggy said, resting her hand on Steve’s bicep before she could talk herself out of it. “My boyfriend.”

Steve… bless him… Steve took her declaration in stride, standing up from the stool and offering his hand.  “Steve Rogers.” Steve had a good five inches on Jack, and the uncomfortable expression on Jack’s face as he looked up at her new ‘boyfriend’ was worth the lie.  “Pleasure to meet you, Jack. How do you know Peggy?”

“We were together for a long time.”

Peggy caught the twitch of Jack’s eye as they shook hands.  It was his pain reflex. She glanced down at the their hands -- Steve was still holding on and she saw his fingers flex even tighter on Jack’s.  Good. She’d have to buy Steve another drink or ten to say thank you.

“Wow,” Steve chuckled, but still not letting go of Jack’s hand.  “I can’t believe someone would be foolish enough to give up Peggy.  I guess your loss is my gain.” He let go of Jack, smiling once more as Jack’s eye gave another twitch.  He sat back down and wrapped an arm around Peggy. “It was nice to meet you, Jack. Wouldn’t want to keep you two from the festivities tonight.”

“I’m sure we’ll see you around,” Jack murmured.  

“Hopefully not!” Angie added with a wave.  “Bye.”

Once Jack and his girlfriend were safely away from the table, Peggy took a deep breath and downed the rest of her drink.  Which… which was a terrible mistake, she realized, as the bourbon burned her throat going down. “Steve, I am so sorry -”

“I take it he’s the reason Angie drug you out against your will on the busiest night of the year?” Steve asked.

“Yes, but I shouldn’t have sprung that on you without warning.  Thank you for playing along.”

“He seems like the type that could use being taken down a peg or two.  Not too often that a beautiful woman wants to pretend I’m her boyfriend,” he chuckled.  “Happy to help.”

“Look, I know that this is not how you intended to spend your evening,” Peggy apologized again.  “One drink and then escaping for pie, but if you wanted to stick around for a little while longer....”

“Peggy will buy all your drinks,” Angie supplied helpfully.  With Peggy’s glare, and Steve blushing again, Angie lifted her glass of wine in a salute as she hopped off the stool.  “I’m going to go say hello to the guy in that corner over there who looks like the only single guy in a group full of couples.  You guys have fun getting to know your new significant other.” Before Peggy could protest, Angie gave an exaggerated wink and disappeared into the thrum of people.

“She’s something,” Steve said.

“I really will buy all your drinks tonight.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s just…”  Peggy shook her head.  “We were together for so long that he knows all of my buttons to push.  And he _knew_ if I was out, I’d be out here with Angie.  The bastard did it on purpose just to see me squirm.”

“I’m guessing you guys didn’t split on the best of terms.”

“No.”  Peggy sighed.  “We were together for over three years.  And… I mean, he wasn’t great. And we weren’t great together, but it was well enough.  And at some point it just makes sense to settle instead of looking over to see if the grass is greener.  And then I came home and found… that woman… in my bed. Jack tried to say that it was my fault for being too focused on my career to notice his needs.  Angie has let me sleep on her couch for the past month while I figure out what’s next.”

Steve, for his part, nudged his glass over to Peggy as he listened, and she took the drink without hesitation.  “He sounds like a dick. Too cold and too career focused are just excuses for ‘I want to sleep with other women but I’m too chicken to break up with you first’.  He wanted you to be the bad guy.”

“He got what he wanted, didn’t he?”

Steve shrugged.  “Maybe. But you seem like the type of woman who deserves better than a guy like that.”

Peggy smiled, and realized that Steve hadn’t dropped his arm from around her yet.  “You barely know me.”

“Yeah…” he trailed off with a grin.  “But I think that anyone deserves better than a guy who would tell her friend to ‘heel’.  And hey, if I can figure out that very obvious fact about you in just under an hour, just imagine the incredibly insightful things I’ll be able to say by the end of the night.”

She couldn’t help but laugh, and couldn’t help the urge to lean in closer against him.  “Steve Rogers, I know you’d planned on escaping for pie, but what would you think about… sticking around for a little while longer?  Just in case Jack comes back. I’ll buy you another drink since I’m currently drinking yours.”

Steve gave her arm a light squeeze and she could see the faint blush on his cheek as he turned to look over at the bar.  “The line’s even longer now. We should probably get over there if we want any chance of a drink in the next hour.”

“Maybe it would help if you got me up on your shoulders and I could just dive for the bottle.”

His blush grew deeper.  He wasn’t used to flirting, Peggy realized.  Not that she was all that up on it either, not after spending years with Jack.  But he was with someone, or supposed to be with someone tonight, so he was either uncomfortable or out of practice.  Maybe both. That didn’t mean that Peggy wasn’t enjoying seeing how she could make him blush.

“Was that too much?” she asked.

“No,” he answered quickly, pulling his attention back to her.  “Just enjoying the… mental image of you in a chicken fight with an entire bar.”

“I’m a woman of many talents.”

“I believe you.”

“C’mon,” Peggy said, nudging Steve up and out of his seat.  “Let’s get in the queue. Are you going to let me buy you a drink?”

Steve shook his head.  “Nope.”

“Because your mother wouldn’t approve?”

“I would never let you buy your own drink on our first fake date.  My mother raised me better than that.”

 

* * *

 

The next couple of hours passed in pretty much the same pattern.  Peggy and Steve spent most of their time in line to get a drink, then Peggy would drink hers and then half of Steve’s.  Angie would return to bemoan that the guy she was talking to was taken, only to set her sights on a new conquest that Steve pointed out for her and disappear again.  Jack would curiously cross the room close to where they were standing, which would cause Steve to wrap his arm around her and pull her up next to him until Jack skulked off again.  And then Steve would let her go.

Mostly.

The first time he let his arm drop.  The second he let drop, but only after a couple minutes.  The third… well, his hand slid down from her arm to rest at her waist while they continued to talk and Peggy couldn’t complain.  Steve really was the direct opposite of Jack. Where Jack was dismissive of the finer details of her work, Steve was curious and attentive.  Where Jack always seemed to have one eye on the crowd to make sure he didn’t miss anyone important he would rather say hello to, Steve was focused.  It was a little unnerving at first, to feel like the only person in the crowded room he had any intention of speaking to, but she found she didn’t want to share him.  This wasn’t real, she tried to remind herself. He’s doing her a favor, that she surprised him into doing, but…

“Two minutes to midnight, everyone!”

Peggy belated realized that she and Steve had tucked themselves into a corner, his arm still around her and giving her no exit.  If she even wanted one. “Thank you for playing along,” she said softly, lifting her head up to speak directly against his ear. “I’ll be happy to see this year in the bin.”

“My pleasure,” he replied, his cheek pressed against hers.  “Next year will be better. You’ll find what you’re looking for.”

“10… 9… 8…”

“What do you think I’m looking for?”

“...6… 5… 4…”

“The right partner.”

“...2… 1…”

Peggy pulled back to look at Steve, and for the second time that night let herself act without considering the consequences.

“Happy New Year!”

She slid her hands into his hair and pulled him into a kiss.  Tradition says that how one starts the year at midnight is how the year will go, so starting it off by kissing Steve seemed like the best of her options.  She should’ve asked, really. Should’ve given him warning. She should pull back and ignore how soft his lips were, how his arm pulled her tighter against him, and how his free hand was suddenly on her cheek.

Peggy pulled back, but only enough to catch her breath and look at him.  His lips were the loveliest shade of pink as he struggled to catch his own breath.  He was blushing again, but this time he didn’t look away. “Sorry,” she murmured, even if she was sure her voice was being drowned out by the off key chorus of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ being sung at the bar.

Steve took another deep breath and smiled.  “Don’t be. I -”

“Steve!  There you are!”

Peggy looked over his shoulder as he turned to find a redheaded woman beaming and waving at him.  

“Natasha!  You made it.”

The woman he got stood up by earlier, Peggy realized, as he let go of her to give her a hug and… a kiss on the cheek.  

What was she thinking?  Making out with some guy she barely knew in the corner of a bar.  And with one who just had his date arrive. Of course. Grand start to the year.  

With Steve busy giving his date a hug, Peggy slipped back into the crowd to find Angie.  She’d ended up in the middle of a drunken card game and looked to be having the time of her life.  “Angie,” She said, leaning down to give Angie a hug before slipping her coat back on. “I’m going to head out.  I’ll see you at home, alright?”

“But what about Steve?”

“His date showed up, so…”  Why was there a lump in her throat?  “I’m going to head out. I’ll see you at home.”

“Should we get an Uber?  I can leave too.”

Peggy shook her head.  “No. No, the cost would be exorbitant right now.  And we’re not far. I think… a little fresh air will do me good.  Besides, the streets are full of people right now. I’ll be fine. Don’t rush out on my accord,” she added with as much of a grin as she could muster.

“Okay,” Angie said hesitantly.  “You text me as soon as you get home, English?  Alright? Don’t make me worry.”

“I promise.”

 

* * *

 

“Natasha, I thought you couldn’t get off work?”

“They finally let me go once they realized they were being dicks.”

Steve pulled back and grinned.  “Natasha, I want you to meet… Peggy…”  He turned around, but Peggy was nowhere to be found.  “Oh… shit.”

“The girl you were kissing?”

“I told her I got stood up.  She must think -”

“That you were going on a date with me?  Jesus, Steve, we can’t leave you alone with a woman for a minute.”

“I bet her friend is still here.  Angie?” he called out, pressing through the people until he saw her at a table with a hand of cards.  “Angie, do you know where Peggy is?”

“Yeah, she left when your date arrived.  Sorry, hi,” Angie said smiling at Natasha.  “I’m sure you’re a very nice person, but I was hoping he and my friend would hit it off.”

“She’s not my date, she’s my roommate,” Steve said.  “She didn’t get off work earlier enough to meet here like we were supposed to.  But Peggy disappeared before I could explain.”

Angie bit her lip and looked towards the door.  “She said she was going to walk home,” she explained.  “We’re about half a mile away, over on Broadneck. She _just_ left, so I bet -”

“Thanks.  Natasha, sorry, but -”

“I’ll see you at home.  Go get her.”

Steve didn’t bother buttoning his coat as he pushed his way out of the bar and turned towards the most likely route Peggy could take uptown.  

He caught sight of her after a block and a half.  “Peggy!” he called out. “Peggy, wait up!”

Peggy glanced back and swallowed hard.  “Sorry, I shouldn’t have just left. But… your date showed up and I knew you’d want to see her.  Thank you for a lovely evening, and for playing along. You didn’t have to do that.” She didn’t stop walking.  Couldn’t stop. Why did it hurt so much after only a couple of hours?

“Peggy, hang on.”  Steve caught up with her and circled around in front of her to make her stop.  “Peggy,” he breathed. “That’s Natasha. She’s not what you think.”

“She’s the one who stood you up.”

“Yeah.”

“The one you’d talk to at home.”

“Yeah, but she’s not… we’re not together.  She’s my roommate.”

Peggy felt her breath catch.  “Your roommate?”

“She’s dating my best friend and she moved in over the summer.  Bucky’s out of town for the week and we figured we’d go out and get out of the house.  But she got caught at work and I was already out.” He placed his hands on her cheeks and took a deep breath in the cold.  “And I’m so glad she did,” he added softly. “Peggy.” He pulled her closer to kiss her again, softer this time.

She wrapped her arms around him to hold him close as long as she could, until a pair of drunk revelers bumped into them as they made their way down the sidewalk.  

“Steve,” she said, realizing that she was the one who was probably blushing this time.  “You know what? I could really go for some pie right about now.”

He smiled again.  That full, eye crinkling, everything is right with the world smile.  “I know a great place that’s open 24 hours. If you don’t mind a walk.”

“I think that sounds perfect.”  She linked her arm in his and let him lead her down the street.  “Are you going to let me buy the pie?”

“Nope,” he chuckled.  “I would never let a woman pay on a first date.  Especially a first _real_ date.”

“Because your mother raised you better than that?”

“Exactly.”


End file.
